Gujarat Riots Myth 9 – Gujarat riots were like 1984 anti-Sikh Riots

Fact: There was a contrast of day and night in these two riots. NDTV and company, and some stark liars deliberately misled the nation by equating the two riots. In May-June 2005, NDTV deliberately asked a question to its viewers in its programme “Khabron ki Khabar” (anchored by Vinod Dua):

“Which of these issues are you most bothered about?

1-Sachin Tendulkar’s injury

2-A question on films

3-The blot on BJP and the Congress for the Gujarat and 1984 riots”

This question’s options, just like any other of NDTV, are typically Marxist. Option 3 belies the reality and equates the 1984 riots with the Gujarat riots, and directly accuses the BJP of orchestrating the riots. (An article on some facts about the media can be read here “NDTV is CPM Today“. And another article which is worth reading is “The channels strategy of attacks”. Note that these articles are purely the view of the blogger and not of Gujaratriots.com )

The next chapter will comprehensively point out the differences between the Gujarat riots and the 1984 riots. In 1984, the Sikhs were butchered. In 2002, Muslims attacked Hindus and as many as 254 Hindus were killed in the Gujarat riots. In 1984, riots occurred outside New Delhi, including places like West Bengal, Tripura, while not a single riot occurred outside Gujarat in 2002.

In 1984, officially 3,000 Sikhs were killed. Not a single Congressman was killed in 1984 riots (except Indira Gandhi) while as many as 313 Hindus were killed in Gujarat in 2002 AD, including 59 karsevaks killed in Godhra.

Not even one person was killed in 1984 in police firing, while 199 people were killed in police firing in the Gujarat riots of 2002 AD. 40,000 Hindus were living in refugee camps in Gujarat, while not even a single relief camp was organized for the Sikhs in 1984, not to talk of any Congressman needing to live in refugee camps, as per ex-Director General of Police, B P Singhal. Not only was there a huge difference in the nature of the riots- there was also a huge difference in the government handling of the riots.